Death's Son (And All Its Memories)
by Pey119
Summary: Sequel to Death's Son (And All Its Jobs). Two new demigods bring complicated issues to camp's investigator, Nico di Angelo, and a certain medic who is trying his best to get his voice back. (Solangelo, a couple OC's, Anubis, percabeth has kids, complete)
1. Chapter 1

Percy thought he finally had a break, he thought he could finally live a normal life. He and Annabeth had their own home, had two kids that were their life. Some monsters came, come powers got out of control. But overall, everything was the best he could imagine.

Until that Sunday.

"Percy, we're out of milk!" Annabeth called from the kitchen as she heard him descending the stairs. "Go get some before that football game comes on!"

Percy stopped at the bottom of the stairs and held his breath, hoping she thought she had assumed wrong. But before he could sneak back up, however, she appeared in the arched doorway. "Percy, I see you."

Percy scratched the back of his head as he let out a soft chuckle. "Huh..."

"I mean it, we need milk." Annabeth tossed him her wallet. "Please go get some. I still haven't worked out today and we both know that you did."

Percy grabbed his jacket off the coat hanger and put it on. "Fine, fine. The kids are still sleeping so listen for them."

Annabeth nodded once before disappearing back into the kitchen. When she was gone, Percy groaned in frustration as he got his shoes on. He hated the store, hated venturing into the city. An early Sunday morning wasn't a great time to go out searching for monsters.

He was halfway to the store when he remembered that he forgot to ask what kind of milk; the kids loved chocolate, but he and Annabeth stayed to white. He turned around to head back when he came face to face with a pair of blue eyes, eyes belonging to a boy that looked as if he crawled right out of a dumpster.

Before Percy could ask exactly why the boy had been so close, the young teenager ran off down the road. Percy would have let him go, but he saw the sword hanging from the boy's belt.

"Hey, kid!" Percy ran after him, his hand moving to Riptide in his pocket. "Come back!"

The kid didn't turn around, but he was fast enough that Percy kept up easily. Before long, he ended up in an alley. The boy was standing with his back against the far wall, another teenager laying at his feet.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." Percy held his hands up in surrender. "I just want to help. You must think I can help if you were following me, huh?"

The boy crouched into a fighting stance but didn't draw his sword. His small fists were clenched tightly, his brown hair hung around his thin face. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Percy looked around the alley, took in the cold stones. He saw the body at the boy's feet, saw how skinny it was. "Do you need help? I can help you. My name is Percy. Percy Jackson."

A couple of shadows moved over the stones, causing Percy's blood to run cold. "Hey, no need for that, kid."

The boy had seen what Percy saw. Instead of claiming them as his own, he looked even more fearful. "What are you doing?! How are you doing that?!

Percy looked around. "I'm not-" He stopped when he saw the boy taking form from the shadows. "Oh... Nico, what are you doing here?"

The young man stepped out beside Percy, causing the teenager to squeak in fear. Nico's dark hair was brought back in a small ponytail, a golden earring hung from one ear. He kept his hands buried in his jacket's pockets as he leaned against the wall, his cold eyes calculating. "Percy? You aren't supposed to be here."

"Nico!" Percy sighed in relief. "Do you know these kids? The guy was following me."

"His name is Nico?" the boy in question finally spoke up. He looked to Nico, his body still tense with fear. "Why have you been following us? What do you want? Can't you guys just leave us alone?"

"Let's all calm down," Percy interjected. "We need to talk and I don't want anyone running off." He glared at Nico. "Especially you. You get in a lot of shady stuff and try not to let us know."

Nico simply shrugged. "I've been doing jobs for Chiron, not dad. This one's from Chiron."

Percy gestured to the two teenagers. "Demigods?"

"I think so," Nico admitted. "Probably a son of-"

"Who cares if we're demigods?" the boy spoke up. "We've been doing fine on our own. I...I can kill monsters. I have before."

Percy felt his eyes widen at the information and saw Nico stiffen with shock. "You know you're demigods?"

The boy nodded. "Dad told me." His voice turned bitter. "Then he left us alone."

Percy moved closer to the teenager. "Well, this'll go better now that we know you're aware of who you are..." He glanced at Nico, who gave him a gesture to go on. "Did your dad ever tell you of a camp?"

The boy shook his head. "No... He didn't tell me anything else. He left me."

"Most gods are assholes." Nico inputted.

Percy nodded in agreement. "What's your name, kid?"

He scowled. "I'm not a kid. And it's Bay. Bay Carr."

"Nice to meet you, Bay." Percy smiled at him. "I'm Percy Jackson. And the creepy guy is Nico di Angelo. We're both demigods."

Bay nodded. "Okay... Well, you can leave us alone. We don't need you."

Us. Percy looked down at Bay's feet, saw the unconscious girl. "Is she okay?"

Bay moved a hand to his sword protectively. "She's sick."

"Bring her to my house." Percy offered. "We can feed her there and tell you about camp. There are easier ways to live for a demigod, Bay."

Bay looked into Percy's eyes for a minute before looking away. "Fine."


	2. Chapter 2

"So, what's the story?" Percy whispered to Nico. They walked behind Bay, who carried the girl in his arms. Every so often, Percy would shout out where to turn. "What's Chiron got you doing that involves these two?"

Nico's dark eyes were just as Percy remembered. "There have been reports of rogue demigods, and you know how we've been trying to get them all training. I was watching them to make sure they were demigods before telling them. But apparently, the kid's father beat me to it."

"Do you think it's Hermes?" Percy asked, having noticed the boy's looks.

Nico nodded. "Yeah... I don't know about the girl, though. I don't even know how they know each other. But her lifeforce is weak."

Percy rubbed at his tired face. "You think she'll live?" How many demigods had he seen die? How many could he have saved?

Nico nodded. "She needs food and water. Once we get back to camp Will can take it from there."

Percy smirked at him. "So... How's Will?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "You're a grown man but still somehow act like a sex-crazed teenager."

Percy pouted. "That was rude."

"It was the truth." Nico glanced up at his old friend. "But yes, he's fine. Hephestus kids are thinking up some great things to try to help."

"That's good." Percy put a hand on Nico's shoulder but it was soon shrugged off. "You'll know they'll make it work. They've got to."

Nico looked down at the concrete below them. "Yeah...maybe..."

Percy gave Nico one last look before jogging to catch up with Bay. "Hey, it's this next house. Let's get inside before my neighbors report me again."

 _He's still the same_. Anubis commented, his voice no stranger to Nico. _He hasn't changed._

 _No, he hasn't._ Nico agreed, starting to hum to himself as he saw Percy lead the boy into his home. _He's still same old Percy. Everyone else is the same, too._

 _That's not true._ Anubis seemed amused. _You've changed in many ways, Nico._

 _How so?_ Nico asked as he stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. _I'm still the scary son of Hades that new campers hate._

Before Anubis could respond, two twin boys barreled into the room. They each hugged one of Nico's legs, shouts of "Uncle Nico!" filling the room.

"Hey, guys." Nico ruffled their hair with his pale hands. "Long time no see. How are my favorite nephews?"

That's _how you changed._ Anubis decided. _They aren't even technically related to you. But you treat them like they were. You hated kids at one point in time._

Nico ignored Anubis's logic as he caught up with each of the boys. Evan and Allan, both a perfect mix of their parents. They were around five or six, with in-shape bodies and tanned skin.

"Nico." Annabeth was suddenly in one of the doorways. "Long time no see... We need you in the living room. Boys, go play in your room."

Evan's head snapped over to his mother. "But Uncle Nico is here!"

"We need his help," Annabeth explained. "If you ask I'm sure he'll spend time with you right after."

Allan tightened his grip on Nico. "Will you?"

Nico looked at Annabeth for a minute more before looking down to the two boys. "Sure. But you got to do what your mom said so I can go help her and your dad."

Evan and Allan looked at each other before talking simultaneously. "That's not a promise."

Nico sighed. "You definately take after your father. Fine, I promise. Now go play upstairs."

The boys finally went upstairs soon after, leaving Nico free to walk to Annabeth. "So, how's the girl?"

Annabeth kept her arms crossed. "You're not going in there to help. You're explaining how you somehow got us involved in this stuff again. I told you not to go running to Percy everytime you need help."

Nico rolled his eyes at his old friend. "Relax. He ran into it himself."

"Why am I not surprised..." Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose. "He didn't explain anything to me, as you can see. What gods want to mess with us now?"

"I'm thinking Hermes," Nico told her what had happened, or as much as he was there to see. When he was finished, Annabeth looked even more stressed.

"That deal all those years ago..." she gestured to the room behind her. "Those kids should have been claimed at camp."

"I know." Nico nodded. "I know. That's why I was on the case. Two demigod teenagers that weren't claimed... Chiron had me come check it out to make sure."

"At least _that_ makes sense." Annabeth moved to the kitchen. "Come with me to make them some soup. It goes better on a stomach that hasn't had anything to eat."

Nico rolled his eyes but followed. "Why me?"

"Because Percy is trying to get the kid to talk to him," Annabeth explained. "I'm thinking you take them to camp tomorrow, let them rest in actual beds tonight. Then you can take them to Will and he can look them over better. I could see they were dehydrated, malnourished, and Bay has some PTSD going on."

"What do you think it's from?" Nico asked. "From when I started watching them they just seem like regular homeless kids."

"I don't know but we'll figure it out." Annabeth started to make the soup. "That's why I'm talking to you and not Percy. He's-"

"A Seaweed Brain."

"He's just Percy." she finished. "And you're used to things like this. So our brains can eventually figure it out. And you've got Anubis somewhere in there."

Nico sighed as Anubis was drawn into the conversation. _We don't need you. You were just mentioned._

 _And I was mentioned why?_

 _We were making fun of you._ "What could they have gotten PTSD from? Bay said his father abandoned them. That's probably why they're homeless. He didn't say anything else."

"You were two strangers. He wouldn't have told you everything." Annabeth replied. "But you are the detective here. So go watch them or something."

"I go by secret agent." Nico corrected her. "Like in those movies with the-"

"Nico, your nerd is showing." Annabeth flung some of the cold soup at him. "Get going."

Nico wiped the soup of his face. "Well, your straight is showing."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It does in my mind."

"What, your nerdy mind?"

Nico groaned in frustration. "Fine, I'm going!" He flipped her off before exiting the room, leaving behind a chuckling Annabeth.


	3. Chapter 3

Bay looked up when Nico entered the room, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. Instead of telling his story to Percy like he was going to, he clamped his mouth shut and looked down at his lap.

"Annabeth's making them some food," Nico told Percy, ignoring the look he was getting from Bay. "How's it going in here?"

"It was going...okay." Percy had laid down the girl on one couch and had Bay sitting on the other. The boy in question was shivering beneath the blanket, his eyes as cold as his body. "We're getting somewhere."

"Good." Nico cleared his throat. "Annabeth thinks they should sleep here tonight so they can emotionally and physically rest. Then we can take them to camp tomorrow."

"And how do you know I want to go to camp?" Bay asked.

"The way you said your dad abandoned you," Nico replied easily. "You hate the situation you're in. Camp can help. Food, a place to stay, training. You'll be safe from monsters and weird humans."

Bay scowled. "What right do you-"

"And it'll keep that girl alive." Nico finished. "I'm a son of Hades. Her life force is weak as fuck."

"Language," Percy hissed.

Bay stared at Nico for some time before looking to Percy. "If I go to camp, I won't be able to leave. And I have to. My dad gave me something to do before he left. And I have to. Or Dovie won't ever get better."

"It's not just malnourishment?" Nico asked, his eyes moving to the girl. "What is it? Maybe we can help. My husband is a healer."

Bay looked back to Nico. "He is?"

Nico nodded. "He's at camp."

"Then...then we can go." Bay decided. "It's possible he can help...that's good..."

 _His dad said something about it._ Anubis reminded Nico. _Did you hear him? He said his father said what to do before he left._

 _I know._ Nico looked down at the carpet beneath his feet. _I don't trust him._

 _Me neither._

"Awesome." Percy clapped his hands together, not having noticed Nico's silence. "Annie will bring you soup. Just relax for now and we'll take you to camp in the morning."

Nico fingered the staff hanging from his belt, having found comfort in having it close than stashed away in his Daut locker. It hung beside his sword, tugging down his belt with the weight. "I'll go visit your kids, I guess."

Percy turned to him. "So you're staying the night?"

Nico nodded. "I'm still on a mission, remember? I'll stick with it until we get to camp tomorrow." He walked from the room, passing Annabeth who was carrying a tray of bowls. "Annie, I have to talk to you later. I'm going upstairs before Evan drenches me with some water shit he learned from Percy."

Annabeth chuckled as they both stopped in the doorway, her facing the living room while he faced the hallway. "Okay..." Her shoulder touched his, her mouth moved to his ear as her voice died down. "What's wrong?"

"Don't trust that kid." Nico started walking again, kept his hand on his staff. "I mean it, Annabeth."

"I heard you, Nico." Annabeth took the soup to Bay as Nico ascended the staircase, soon getting to the bedroom the twins shared.

"Open up, you little rascals." Nico jiggled the locked doorknob. "Don't make me break this door. Your mom will kill me."

Allan cracked the door open, his head poking out. "Uncle Nico."

"You going to let me in?" Nico asked. He eyed the quieter twin, tried to think of what they could be planning. "What, is Evan trying to prank me?"

Allan shook his head, his voice shaking almost as much as he was. "We were going to prank mom and dad."

Nico frowned when he saw how serious the kid was. He kneeled in front of him, their eyes becoming level. "Allan...tell me what happened"

"Promise you won't tell?"

"That depends," Nico admitted. "But if it's something bad then you need to tell me. You need to, kid."

A tear wormed its way down Allan's cheek. "Evan's hurt."

Time froze. Shadows came around, covered Nico's vision. Souls were visible, souls of all those in the house. He could see the soul of his nephew, could see how it continued to dim until there was nothing left.

"PERCY!" Nico shot into the room, knocking Allan down in the process. He found himself in the small bathroom, found himself kneeling next to a full bathtub. "What did you two do?!"

Allan started to sob. "We wanted to trick them but we didn't have kool-aid to make the water red. Then Evan fell and hit his head... I was scared to get someone."

Nico looked over at him, felt his heart drop into his stomach. How the _fuck_ hadn't he noticed the soul become so weak?


	4. Chapter 4

_It's not your fault, Nico_. Anubis reminded his host for the tenth time. As Nico moved to the living room in a dull haze, he could hear the crying, could hear the pain of death. _You weren't looking out because there shouldn't have been a reason to._

Nico stood before Bay, reached out his hand. "We're going to camp now. We're not staying the night."

Bay glanced towards the ceiling. "What happened?"

"You carry the girl or I will," Nico replied. "I'll give you ten seconds."

 _They didn't do it,_ Anubis reasoned. _Don't take your anger out on him._

"Fine, fine." Bay moved to the other couch and picked the girl up, her limp arms falling about. "How are we going?"

Nico grabbed the boy's arm. "Don't let go with her." And with that, he let the shadows overcome them along with his guilt.

Whenever he shadow traveled to camp, Nico pictured home. He pictured the camp itself. But whenever he actually got there, he always landed in the infirmary. He had spent the most time there, had seen Will build it up after the infirmary of the Big House had been too small. It was his love's dream, so in turn, it was his own dream.

It was his home.

Bay fell back onto one of the beds, the girl's limp body falling beside him. By his face, Nico could tell firsthand that he had never shadow traveled before. Yet he still couldn't find it in himself to laugh.

"What was that?" Bay demanded, his hands shaking as he tried to steady himself. "Where are we?"

"Camp's infirmary." Nico looked around at the empty building, making sure to check each room. "Seems Will isn't here. I'll go get him if you wait here."

 _Do you trust him alone?_ Anubis asked.

 _I'll actually watch out for his soul._ Nico started his walk to the Apollo cabin. _I'll see wherever he goes. I can't mess up again. Too many deaths are on my hands._

 _Evan's death isn't your fault._ Anubis replied, his voice low. _Allan said it himself. He tripped and broke his skull open-_

 _Shut up!_ Nico leaned against the nearest building and put his hands to his head. "Shut up, shut up, shut up-"

"Nico!" Almaji's excited voice made Nico jump out of his mental state. The boy came running up, having grown even taller since the last he had seen him. "You've been gone for weeks."

Almaji was well into his teenage years, a sight Nico still couldn't get used to. He had been tiny when camp took him off the streets, too tiny to be healthy. But ever since Will laid eyes on the kid, he made it his intentions to look out for him.

Almaji's godly parent still wasn't known. They knew his powers, knew how to deal with them. But nowhere in any textbook could they find the source behind them. Was it a dying god? Was it one that was hiding purposely?

"Hey, Al." Nico hugged him before pulling away. "Where's Will?"

"Sleeping in the Apollo cabin." Almaji tugged at his gloves, the old material having been used throughout the years to keep his life force from transferring to others. "The sun went down and he had no patients so he...crashed."

"Sounds like Will." Nico kept his attention on Bay's soul, which was pacing around the infirmary. "Why aren't you in bed?"

Almaji shrugged. "Late night walk?"

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Who were you sneaking out to see?"

"I wasn't... It isn't important." Almaji looked Nico over. "Why are you so upset? Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Guilt was heart crushing. "I have to talk to Will. You get to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

Almaji raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"That's none of your importance." Nico hugged him again. "It's good to see you. But you have to go to bed." He frowned. "Have you been working out?"

Almaji pulled away. "So what if I have?"

"Nothing, nothing." Nico let him go. "Just get to bed. I really have to go talk to Will."

"Yeah, okay." Almaji stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Good night, Nico."

"Good night." Nico moved his own hands into his pockets as he stalked to the Apollo cabin, his boots kicking against any rouge pebbles and rocks. As he did, he could hear Almaji go his own way back to the Hades cabin.

 _You think he was doing something wrong?_ Anubis asked.

 _Most definitely_. Nico glanced around. _But I don't have time for that right now. He's a teenager._

 _You were a teenager when I possessed you for the first time._ Anubis commented.

 _I doubt he's finding an Egyptian god._ Nico got to the Apollo cabin and crept inside, finding Will fast asleep in his bunk. _Wonder why he slept in here and not our room in the infirmary._

Anubis didn't provide an answer, nor did Nico care for one. He shook his husband awake without hesitation, knowing the crisis was more important than any sleep. "Will, wake up. I'm back."

"Nico...?" Will turned onto his back, his eyes half open. "What are you doing here?"

"Come on, I need you in doctor mode." Nico pulled him into a sitting position. "You've got two patients who need you."

Will's eyes snapped open. "Nico? What are you doing in here?"

Nico sighed. "As I said, patients. They need you. Get some shoes on and let's go."

"When did you get back?" Will fumbled around for shoes as he tried not to wake the other campers. "Who are the patients?"

"Two kids my quest was about." Nico looked around before picking up a sleeping Peyton, who was around seven years old but as small as he had been as a toddler. With him in his arms, Nico led Will out. "One has been unconscious all day. The other is...shady."

"Why's she unconscious?" Will asked. "What happened?"

Nico shrugged. "Try to get it out of him."

Will shook his head in exasperation. "He hasn't told you what's wrong?"

"Nope."

Will ran the rest of the way to the infirmary, leaving Nico to walk alone. He checked to make sure Almaji wasn't still about, made sure no other campers were going against the rules. As he grew into who he was today, Nico became one of the few adults left at camp to enforce the rules. They kept the younger ones safe, even if it meant being strict. And before he had known it, it had turned into a habit.

"Just me and you, Pey," Nico whispered, staring up at the moon above them. He hadn't used to, but now he preferred the sun any time of the day. "Will ran off again like usual. Doesn't even realize I'll have to go to the Underworld tomorrow."

Peyton didn't answer, his head against Nico's chest as he slept. As Nico finally got to the infirmary, he found Will already fussing over his new patients. And like old times, he became used to deaths aching in his heart, even of the young.


	5. Chapter 5

Will closed the door behind him as he stepped into his and Nico's room, the light from the window lighting up his husband's worried face. "They're both alive."

"Good." Nico sat with his back against the headboard of the bed, his boots still on from the night before. "Are they stable?"

Will nodded.

"Then we need to talk." Nico patted the spot next to him. "We really need to talk, Will."

Being a demigod had never been easy. It meant heartache and stress until the day you died, which was usually before 30. Nico and Will knew that before they married, and it was one of the reasons they married so young. They wanted time together before they ended up in the Underworld, before they were nothing more than spirits.

The building that now served as the infirmary was larger than Will had intended it to be. They didn't need separate burn rooms anymore, they didn't need a room for bodies. As the violence died down in the demigod world, it had been mostly empty for years.

When Nico and Will got married Chiron agreed to let them make their room out of the old burn room. They cleaned it up well, got it smelling unlike the old burnt skin. The next room over became Peyton's room, the boy they had ended up raising just like their own.

They never found his parents, never saw any signs of a godly power within him.

Will sat beside Nico on the cheap bed, the old mattress hurting their muscles just as much as practice and training. "Is Peyton still asleep?"

Nico nodded. "In his room."

"Okay." Will leaned his head on Nico's shoulder. "What's up?"

Nico told him all that had happened, where they found those kids and Anubis's insights. When he got to Evan's death, he did nothing more than choke on his words before continuing until the end.

"That's why I just took them here last night." Nico summed up. "Percy and Annabeth didn't need this. And I had no idea if we could trust Bay."

"I wouldn't," Will replied simply.

"What?"

"I wouldn't trust him," Will repeated. "I couldn't heal that girl fully. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Nico ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing can ever be easy. People just keep dying. The bad guys keep coming back."

"You think he's a bad guy?" Will asked. "He doesn't seem that evil to me."

"You don't need to be evil to be corrupted or mind controlled." Nico pulled at his curly strands of hair. "Think of Luke. Think of me."

"You weren't ever evil."

"I could've been. I turned Percy over to my dad."

"You were young and confused." Will reasoned.

"Exactly. So could Bay."

"So...what?" Will asked. "You think someone's doing something through him?"

Nico nodded. "We really have to question him. Someone he trusts. Or ask around to see if anyone's ever seen him before. I would ask Percy but..."

"Yeah, leave Percy out of this." Will pulled the blanket up over them. "That poor guy..."

"That reminds me." Nico tossed the blanket away from them. "I have to go to the Underworld. I was going to do it tonight but I might as well do it now. That poor kid is probably so confused. I'm gonna go and lead him through everything so he calms a little. He might not even realize he's dead."

Will's face turned grim. "Okay...go help. But what do I do about Bay? I can't just keep him under constant surveillance."

"Yeah, you can."

"How?"

"Argus. Campers. Ares cabin." Nico shrugged. "Just tell Chiron what I told you. He'll understand and help set it up."

"Fine." Will agreed, his hand moving to Nico's. "But lay with me for a minute? I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Nico admitted. "But I've got to go. Imagine what that kid's going through right now."

"Okay, okay." Will ran a hand through Nico's hair. "Get going. But be back soon. Pey missed you."

"I miss him, too." Nico got up. "Okay, I've got to go. Bye."

"Bye, Neeks."

* * *

Nico spent two nights in the Underworld. The first night, he stuck by Evan's side as he waited for judgment. He did what he could, spoke in the trial. The second night, Nico stayed with him in Elysium as he got used to his dead family members. After a tearful goodbye and a promise to always visit, Nico shadow traveled back to camp.

Percy was waiting for him on the dark beach, his eyes hard from the death of those closest to him. Nico hated seeing those green eyes like that, hated seeing that handsome face in so much pain. But the only thing he could do was already done.

"I stood with him," Nico explained, Percy not having to voice his silent question. "I stayed in line with him and I stayed with him through trial."

"Elysium?"

Nico nodded. "I made sure he was good and comfortable. I'll visit him a lot. He seemed happy with a huge place all to himself. And I introduced him to Jason."

Percy looked down at the sand. "He's okay?"

"Yeah, he's okay."

"Can I see him? Just once." Percy begged. "Just once. Please."

Nico ran a hand through his hair. "Percy...death is death. I'm the son of the god of the Underworld. I have a death god in me. If I take you...it won't be unnoticed."

"I don't care what Hades does to me." Percy's eyes had turned as determined as they ever would. "Or Anubis. I don't care about that stupid heart feather test he does. I just want to see my son one last time."

 _Are you going to?_ Anubis asked, his ease into Nico's memories having become effortlessly.

 _I've got to._ Nico eyed his old friend. _If I don't, he'll find his own way down there._

 _I agree._

"Fine." Nico finally exhaled the air he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Let's go and get this over with so I can face dad's wrath."


	6. Chapter 6

Will stood at the lab table and stared down at the metal container. He saw where he kept that device, saw every piece of wiring that was used to get his words across.

His words, his voice...it sounded just as robotic as the other Hephestus inventions. This one was no different than what those kids accomplished. They made it for him, and for that he was grateful, but nothing could be the same as his old voice.

It never used to hurt to speak. He never used to have to fit a device into a hole in his neck. He never used to sound fake.

Will was a demigod, he knew this. He was half human from birth. But now this, this machinery, this piece of equipment, it took more of the remaining pieces of humanity left in him.

He hated it, despised it, wished it dead every day. But he always put it on the next morning.

New campers looked at him in shock, looked at him in disturbed curiosity. They looked at him as if he was nothing more than another part of the tour, the next add-on to the Hephestus cabin. They looked at him without seeing his humanity.

He hated when new campers came about, hated their innocent brains. They didn't know the worst of being a demigod, they hadn't seen what he had.

They hadn't had their love die and come back. They hadn't had two wars to survive through just to watch others die.

Bay and Dove were no different. Will hated their presence just as the others, hated that he didn't know how to cure that girl. Dove. Bay had finally said her name, had finally admitted to everything in hopes that Will could heal her.

And he couldn't.

Not being able to heal a patient, watching them die a slow death, it was the worst thing he had experienced as a demigod. Any other child of Apollo would say the same.

"Will?" Bay appeared in the doorway. Will had seen how he interacted with others, saw the sarcasm and hatred he put out. But it was all in defense. His real self, a much more terrified boy, was shown to Will when he saw that Dove couldn't be healed. "Can I ask you a question?"

Will nodded, moving his fingers to his throat where that device rested. "What is it?"

Bay stepped another foot into the room. "If...if Dove dies...will she go to Elysium?"

Will turned around to face the young demigod. "That's a question to ask my husband. You can when he gets back."

Bay shook his head. "No. That would involve telling him everything."

"You're going to have to, anyway." Will licked his dry lips. "You have to, Bay. I already told Chiron."

Bay made a noise of discomfort. "Excuse me?"

Will sighed in exhaustion. "I work for my patients and Dove is my patient. I told Chiron in hopes that he would have an idea to save her. He doesn't. Now, go sit down. You're still recovering."

"You can't just tell my business to people!" Bay argued. "It's _my_ past! Not yours!"

"And I'm damn well thankful it's not my past!" Will moved towards the boy. "You made mistakes and that's not my fault!"

" _Mistakes_?! I followed my mother!"

"Your mother was wrong!" Will yelled. "You sided with Gaea! Your dad abandoned you for it! It happened! Now get over yourself and let us all live whatever lives we have left!"

"I was a _child_!" tears sprouted in Bay's eyes. "I was a kid! I didn't know any better!"

"You still did it." Will turned away from him. "Just go out. You're going to bust your stitches."

Bay shook his head in disbelief. "Maybe I shouldn't have come here. I knew you guys wouldn't trust me."

"It's hard to trust someone who made such a horrible mistake," Will muttered.

Bay wiped at his raw eyes. "The key word in that sentence should be mistake."


	7. Chapter 7

Nico collapsed onto the old bed as he felt his powers threaten to break hold again. He could feel them itching at his skin, bursting through his veins. It was only with Anubis's help that he could keep them contained. But each day, each time he used them, they grew stronger. Someday they'd be overpowering.

He didn't tell Will this but he could tell his husband already knew. It was the look in his eyes, the way he held himself when they were in the same room. Fear had started to show through the mask Will always wore.

And Nico didn't blame him one bit.

Some of the year-round campers joked about it, called Nico their "own little god". He had started off as a demigod, had started off half human. But was he still?

He couldn't be sure. Neither could Anubis.

"Nico!" Will stopped in the doorway in surprise. "You're back... Are you okay?"

Nico nodded into the dark pillowcase. "Exhausted. I've been running all over." _Using more of my powers, fueling them up. The anger at his death didn't help._

 _No, it really didn't_. Anubis agreed.

"Oh... Well, I'm glad you're back." Will laid next to Nico, his shirt stinking of the medicines he used. "Did everything go okay?"

"I let Percy see him," Nico admitted, his face so buried into the pillow that Will wasn't sure how he was breathing. "I took him down there and let him talk to him."

"...oh..." Will started to try to untangle Nico's hair. "Did your dad find out?"

Nico nodded.

"What'd he say?" Will asked. "I mean...you're still here... So he didn't make you do a task or anything, right?"

"He didn't say anything," Nico replied, his voice thick with emotion instead of just that pillow. " _He didn't say anything_ , Will. I'm not in trouble."

"That's good." Will sat for a minute before frowning. "Right?"

Nico shook his head frantically. "There's a reason he didn't, Will. There's a reason."

"Alright... What's that reason?"

"I think he's scared of me." Nico clenched at the pillow, his nails digging into its soft folds. "He was scared of me, Will. A _god_ was scared of me. My dad was scared of me."

"You could be overreacting..."

"Anubis agrees."

Will kissed Nico's head before continuing with his hair. "We'll work on it. I promise you. It's good that you're powerful. You can protect the people that you love."

Nico laid in silence at the familiar piece of advice, knowing even Will couldn't come up with anything else. His powers scared both of them, scared the gods themselves. If he didn't know any better, they also scared Anubis.

Anubis...

 _You there?_

 _Yeah, I'm here._ Anubis replied instantly. _Are you okay?_

 _I will be. I need to spend time with people before getting back on these quests. They take a lot out of me._

 _I know._

"We need to talk about something else..." Will admitted. "That girl, Dove...she needs some serious help. I can't heal her."

Nico picked his head up to stare at his husband. "What?"

Will blushed in embarrassment. "I tried...I really did. Bay explained to me the reason why I can't."

"And what's that reason?"

Will shrugged as he let out a groan of defeat. "It's complicated...so complicated. I'm gonna try to ask my dad about it. I don't understand it much."

"Just tell me what he said." Nico prodded. "Maybe Anubis knows."

"Anubis won't know."

"And why not?"

"Cause..." Will bit his lip. "I think it has to do with Almaji's father."


	8. Chapter 8

Bay stepped away from the door and returned to his bed, the eavesdropping having done no good in the end. Maybe this was how it would end. Maybe Dove would die. He was a demigod, after all. No demigod ever went long without losing someone close to them.

And so far, he hadn't lost anyone.

Bay sat on his bed in the nearly empty infirmary but couldn't do anything to relax. The tension was building up, bringing pain to his muscles, cramping his back up. He could feel every inch of his body.

Would he still feel the pain of her death if he was to die?

* * *

Nico stared at his husband as if he had grown another head. "Excuse me?"

Will looked down at his lap. "You heard me..."

"Explain. Now." Nico sat up against the headboard. "Tell me what you know, Will. I deserve to know. And so does Almaji."

Will put his head in his hands. "Hermes is Bay's dad. He...he left after he had been told that Bay helped Gaea out."

"Gaea? He would have been so young..."

"I know," Will mumbled. "I know. That's not the point."

"Fine, go on."

"Hermes had told him who could help Dove." Will continued. "But he's not for sure. Basically, this guy can help or no one at all can."

"Who's this guy? A god? Roman or Greek?"

"Neither," Will admitted. "Have you ever heard of the Gallo-Romans?"

Nico frowned, able to feel Anubis rattling around in his memories. "They were the Gauls, right? Originally Celtic, I think. They were under Roman rule... You're telling me we have those gods running around, too?"

"Not running around." Will picked at his fingernails. "They've basically died out. But there's one who may still be alive. He was one of the first forms of my dad."

"So he's a healing god." Nico summed up. "Which is why you think it's Almaji's dad."

"That's not the only reason." Will bit at his cracked lips. "Bay said that Hermes told him that he'd have to find a certain demigod to help. That's why when he saw Percy...he chased him. But I'm thinking maybe he was talking about Almaji, not Percy."

"That's a longshot." Nico closed his tired eyes. "But...but I guess you could be right. We just have to see what happens when we track this god down. Maybe he'll pull some Pan shit or something. We'll have to take Almaji with us."

Will held up his hand. "First off, we're not taking him on a dangerous quest. Second off... You're going?"

"Yeah," Nico sighed. "Why wouldn't I?"

"You just got back from two quests."

"Yeah, well, if I don't and that girl dies..." Nico gestured with his hand. "You know how it'll feel. We've both been there."

Will put his head back into his hands. "Fine...but I'm going with you."

Nico shook his head. "Someone needs to watch Peyton."

"Your sister can." Will got up and moved to the closet, grabbing a bookbag. "I'll start packing first aid stuff."

Nico rolled his eyes. "You're stubborn as hell."

"Don't you know it." Will sighed. "Let's just get back to him alive, okay?"

"We'll try our hardest."

* * *

"You're really gonna go?" Bay asked, his eyes lighting up at the information. "You're serious?"

Will nodded, having left Nico to take Peyton to Camp Jupiter for a "weekend visit". "Nico's gonna take me. We'll try to get this sorted out."

The teenage boy ran to the doctor and hugged him, his head burying itself into Will's chest. "Thank you...thank you so much..." Tears came out, wetting Will's shirt. "Please don't let her die. I love her."

"I know." Will didn't hug back but didn't push the boy away. "Can you help us by telling us some information?"

Bay pulled away as he wiped at his eyes. "Yeah, of course. Anything."

"How did this happen to her to begin with?" Will asked. "Did she just get sick or did someone do this to her?"

Bay shrugged. "It was right before dad left. Right after...the Gaea stuff. She just collapsed."

"Who's her godly parent? Is she a demigod?" Will questioned.

Bay bit his lip. "That's something dad told me not to say..."

"Do you want her alive?"

Bay nodded. "Of course."

"Then you have to tell me."

Bay hung his head, his hands gripping onto his pants. "You know how gods can be in two places at once? You know how Gaea was pulling strings when she was still asleep?"

Will closed his eyes. "Please don't tell me..."

"She was Gaea's secret weapon." Bay continued, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Gaea thought that when she won, if there was still some uprising, Dove could come and put it all down. She wanted her to be powerful. That's how I got roped into helping her in the first place."

"So it was punishment," Wil concluded. "The gods punished her for helping her mother."

Bay nodded. "Yeah... Yeah..."


	9. Chapter 9

Filling in Nico and Chiron turned out to be the easiest thing he had to do, though it didn't feel as so at the time. Chiron's anxiety showed through the flicking of his tail, the way his old eyes moved about. Nico showed more anger at the gods than usual.

Then there was the cabin meeting. All head counselors were there, except for Percy and Annabeth who were back at their apartment. They wanted to be done with all this, they didn't need any more deaths. They begged not to be notified about anything else, and they weren't.

With the two well-known heroes out of commision, they were down one counselor and had a replacement. The new Athena head counselor was a teenage girl around sixteen, with looks too similar to Annabeth's.

Will tried to ignore the absences. Annabeth and Percy, Jason...

Maybe demigods really were alive only to die.

The story was told two or three times, the facts coming straight from Will's mouth. He told them what he had speculated, what Bay had told him. He explained how if they didn't do this, a girl would die. If they did do it, however, Gaea's weapon would be as healthy as new.

Maybe Nico had been right all those years ago. Maybe some deaths couldn't be prevented.

They had almost come to agree on this when Will stood up, his desperate eyes landing on Chiron's. "But we could find Almaji's dad."

Chiron's weary eyes met Will's. He had seen too many heroes die before their time. Had he become immune yet? "If you're sure about going, you have to have two other volunteers."

"Nico will go with me!" Will looked to his husband, who sat with his feet propped up on the table. "We can figure out everything we need for Almaji's sake."

"You've done fine raising him up until now." the son of Hephestus cut in. Randal White. "He's fine. Why go on this stupid quest?"

Nico looked in his husband's eyes. "You know he's right."

Will ran a hand through his tangled hair. "But if we could get him normal... And then if we really could save Dove and she ended up on our side..."

"Or the Second Giant War will start all over again," Nico muttered, crossing his arms. "You know that, Will. I know you're a healer but you have to think about what could happen. Consequences."

"Don't talk to me like I'm your kid." Will cut in. "I'm your husband. I'm not a child."

"Then act like it."

"That's enough." Chiron gestured for Will to sit down. "We didn't come here to fight. We're here to discuss what we, as heroes, should do now that a situation has come up."

"And we shouldn't risk our lives for someone who doesn't deserve it." Nico summed up, his eyes never leaving Will's. "We all know that. If you grant Will this quest, he needs two others to go with him. He doesn't have that."

Chiron looked to Will. "You can't go alone, son of Apollo. The quest is off until you have two volunteers."

* * *

Will stood on the porch of the Big House, his blue eyes cast on the strawberry fields as he felt his anger burst in waves. All lives were worth saving. He could say that to anyone, could justify it anywhere. Any religion, any beliefs. You believe in the Greeks? Then you believe they made everyone, including the dying. You believe in one God? Then you believe that he made everyone, even the miserable.

All lives were worth saving.

"Will." Nico stood next to him and leaned against the porch railing. "I'm sorry."

"Are you going to go with me?"

"Will..." Nico sighed. "No, I'm not."

"Then I don't want your apology." Will clenched his jaw. "I know you see death every day. I know you're used to it. But it's still worth fighting against."

"Not if her life will lead to more deaths," Nico argued. "Think of how many people can die if she chooses to avenge her mother."

"Think of how much good she can do if she doesn't!"

Nico went to retort when his face went pale, his dark eyes filling with shadows. Maybe some things were meant to be. That didn't make them hurt any less.


	10. Chapter 10

**heal·er**

 **noun**

 **something that alleviates a person's distress or anguish.**

 **"time is the best healer"**

Maybe he ended up allowing her anguish to be alleviated, maybe he ended up letting her distress end. Was that a healer's job? To let death take over?

Death was the best relief to some, but it always left some darkness behind.

Will made sure Dove was dead before anything, before he decided to report to Chiron. But it was as pointless as ever. Nico had felt her soul leave, could feel it on its way to the Underworld. What judgment would she get? Will was glad he didn't have to decide.

Morality was a subject that wouldn't have just answers until you're dead and gone.

He made sure her heart had stopped, made sure her body wasn't still alive despite her soul having left. And she was, in fact, dead. Her hands had already started to grown cold.

A healer. Had it been who he was as a healer to let her die? Had it been his job as a demigod to side with the gods, even if they had done this to her? Had that been how Luke had felt, how Ethan had?

He was on the side of the lesser evil.

Maybe that was why his story ended without another thought, maybe that was why he was written about anymore. Very few demigods lived long because it simply wasn't a good story. Nobody read a book to see someone through their golden years. They read to see their hardships, their death, their struggles and what made them a true hero. But at this point, all that was left were the golden years.

Maybe that was good. But even through the golden years, he saw more and more demigods die. Because one thing will always be for certain.

Healers can't save everyone, no matter how experienced they are. It was a hard lesson to learn, but Nico understood it in a different way. He knew that some deaths shouldn't be prevented. Some people were just at the end of their stories, they just weren't meant to live.

And at the end of this story, we see the end of a story cut short of a girl given a rotten life.

* * *

 **An: last chapter, sorry for being absent and updating short chapters lately. Life is chaotic but oh well. Thank you all for your reviews and sticking with the story, it means a lot**


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